Potential of the cockroach oothecal parasite prosevania punctata hymenoptera evaniidae as a biological control agent for the oriental cockroach orthoptera blattidae
Potential of the cockroach oothecal parasite prosevania punctata hymenoptera evaniidae as a biological control agent for the oriental cockroach orthoptera blattidae
Thoms, E.M.; Robinson, W.H.
Environmental Entomology 16(4): 938-944
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0046-225X
DOI: 10.1093/ee/16.4.938
In laboratory tests, the maximum proportion of oothecae of the oriental cockroach, Blatta orientalis L., parasitized by the evaniid wasp, Prosevania punctata (Brulle), was 51%. Significantly (P < 0.05) more 1-d-old oothecae than 28-d-old oothecae, and oriental cockroach oothecae than American cockroach oothecae, were parasitized. In field surveys, the greatest percentage of oriental cockroach oothecae parasitized by P. punctata was 35%, which decreased as the cockroach infestation level increased. An education program for residents significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the percentage of residues who thought the wasps were a problem or killed them. However, 60% of the residents still killed evaniid wasps when they found them.